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TIMING BELTS AND 

WATER PUMPS

Although it isn't very often, there comes a time in the life if an engine where it is necessary to renew the dreaded timing belt.

The average is at around 50,000 miles or 5 years whichever comes first, however different engine manufacturers stipulate different mileages and timespans, for example, Ford recommend that on the Focus it is changed every 100,000 miles or 10 years, whichever comes first.

It is essential that these recommendations are adhered to, because unlike a snapped fan belt or auxilliary belt, a snapped timing belt can wreck the engine to which it is fitted.

However, it doesn't have to be the belt breaking that causes the damage. The average timing belt will go around the crank sprocket, one or more cam sprockets, a tensioner pulley, a guide pulley, and, the water pump.

The tensioner, guide, and water pump all contain bearings, and if either of them break, it can cause just as much damage as a broken timing belt.

A full timing belt kit will contain the belt, tensioner, and any guide pulleys, and some manufacturers even supply a kit which includes a water pump, however, generally, the water pump would need to be purchased seperately.

Yes, it is a few more quid for the pump and coolant, but is only once in a blue moon and it is a lot less than an engine rebuild should the worse happen, and, we do not charge any extra labour, all you pay is the labour charge for fitting a timing belt kit.

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